I’ll try and begin to…ah, see how easy it is? This week’s zombies, neatly corralled in five words. The “tried to”/“began to” habit is another instance of distance words that push readers away from your story. If you’re looking for an inspirational truism in the vein of “just write something, it doesn’t matter how good […]
You’ve set up the perfect writing space, found a pen that channels Poe, a coffee shop fit for Camus and a chair good enough for Chandler. With a few chapters complete, you’d like some feedback, tips on how to improve or something more in-depth. You need education, editors and readers. Educating writer Writing a novel, […]
How much does it cost to write a novel? Surely, writing costs nothing more than time and something to write with, whether that’s pen and paper, a computer, or a secretary to take your dictations (if you’re Barbara Cartland). Right? Wrong! Most successful novelists employ editors and readers at different stages. That’s particularly important for […]
What is a critical reader? You’ve crafted a killer first chapter and finessed your final draft. The question remains: is my novel any good? And who can you ask for an unbiased opinion? Friends? Family? Other writers? I’ll give you a fourth option: ask The Good Reader. I’m here to provide the unbiased, independent opinion […]
What words would you put in your writers’ Room 101? Are you an exponent of the “said is dead” campaign? Would you ban all adverbs, ruthlessly? My leading candidate for the dictionary naughty corner is “could”. It seems harmless. I even put it in the title of this post, but as a former print editor, […]